Williams link i, a system and method for using a spill-proof fluid transport galley, pipe, or tube to exchange mechanical fluids

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a system and method for reducing the threat of environmental pollution in both the private and industrial arenas by safely exchanging oils and other liquid lubricants, fuels, and anti-freeze from internal combustion engines, differentials, transmissions, gear boxes, filters, and/or any other reservoirs found in, but not limited to, automotive, excavating, industrial, and farming equipment and machines. The system and method of the present invention rely on the use of either a fluid transport gallery (FTG) that is cast into the reservoirs contained within the operational structure of a device powered by an internal combustion engine, electric motor, or any other power source, or a pipe or tube installed in these devices at the time of assembly, or retrofitted to them.

CROSS REFERENCES

U.S. Patent Documents 1815221 July, 1931 Sweetland. 2320048 May, 1943Parson 184/1.5 2552749 May, 1951 Tabet 184/1.5 3216527 November, 1965Lewis 184/1.5 3720287 March, 1973 Martel 184/1.5 3810487 May, 1974 Cableet al.  137/351. 4095672 June, 1978 Senese 184/1.5 4095673 June, 1978Takeuchi 184/1.5 4193487 March, 1980 Takeuchi 184/1.5 4869346 September,1989 Nelson 184/1.5 4938315 July, 1990 Ohta et al. 184/1.5 5273085December, 1993 Edwards et al. 141/98. 5343906 September, 1994 Tibbals,III 141/83. 5351725 October, 1994 Suthergreen et al. 141/83. 5372219December, 1994 Peralta  123/196. 5423457 June, 1995 Nicholas et al.141/83. 5472064 December, 1995 Vikew 184/1.5 5491631 February, 1996Shirane et al.  364/424. 5535849 July, 1996 Few 141/98. 5586583December, 1996 Edwards et al. 184/1.5 5605182 February, 1997 Oberrechtet al. 141/94. 5544683 August, 1996 Guhl 141/65  5787372 July, 1998Edwards et al. 184/1.5 5853068 December, 1998 Dixon et al. 184/1.56,098,752 August, 2000 McCaleb 184/1.5 Foreign Patent Documents 2548365April, 1976 DE 184/1.5 0016115 January, 1988 JP 184/1.5 0057808 March,1988 JP 184/1.5

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of transportationvehicles and machinery and specifically to the leak-proof removal offluids from the various reservoirs found within the vehicles andmachinery, via either a pre-cast fluid transport galley (FTG), or anexternally or internally mounted pipe or tube that will allows fluids tobe drawn from the bottom of the reservoirs into an environmentally safecontainment system.

From current-day drivers' manuals contained in new passenger vehicles(i.e., GM Owner's Manual for a 2003 Trailblazer) to service manuals formobile, industrial equipment and machinery (i.e., Service Manual for a1999-2004 CAT D250E or D300E Articulated Truck), it is apparent to evena casual observer that no spill-proof system or method exists forremoving oils and other fluids without the risk of spillage either ontothe ground or onto the undercarriages of these transportation vehiclesand machinery. Years of experience and observation in the vehicle andindustrial equipment service industry have allowed one of the presentinvention's inventors first-hand observations of fluids being removedfrom the current-day systems and spilling to the ground, and pollutingthe soil and waterways.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a system and method to improve the extractionof fluids from an engine block and/or related component through anenvironmentally safe fluid transport galley, tube, or pipe. Theinvention relates generally to the extraction of all fluid lubricants,fuels, coolants, and hydraulic fluids, whether they be petroleum basedor synthetic, and any other fluids necessary to lubricate, operate, orcool differentials, transmissions, gear boxes, internal combustionengines, hydraulic cylinders, and fluid reservoirs, as well as thefilters that support these components. The invention relates moreparticularly to a system and method that allows for these fluids to beextracted in an environmentally safe method through either apre-cast-at-point-of-manufacture fluid transport galley—or a tube orpipe that is attached internally or externally—that extends to the verybottom of the related reservoirs in an engine block and/or relatedcomponent, that operates, drives, powers, or aids in the movement ofvehicles and machinery, and enables a suction driven extraction deviceto remove the fluid through the galley, tube or pipe, without leakage orspillage on the ground.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 represents a vehicle engine, such as those found in automotive,industrial, and agricultural vehicles and machines, with placement ofthe present invention's fluid transport galley (FTG), pipe, or tubesystem that has been either cast or placed in an engine block at thetime of manufacturing or retrofitted in or externally on the block.

FIG. 2 represents a hydraulic tank, such as those found on large,diesel-fueled machines, automotive, industrial, and agriculturalvehicles and machines, and the placement of the present invention's FTGsystem, including a hose for linking to a fluid exchange machine.

FIG. 3 represents an automatic, power shift, or hydrostatic transmissionand the placement of the present invention's FTG system and supportingdevices.

FIG. 4 represents a differential, such as those found in manyautomotive, agricultural, and heavy equipment vehicles and machines, andthe placement of the present invention's FTG system cast into thehousing at the time of manufacturing, or a pipe or tube inserted into orretrofitted to the piece to facilitate fluids flowing into and out ofthe housing without spillage, and the system's supporting devices.

FIG. 5 represents an engine cooling system and radiator, such as thosefound in automotive, industrial, and agricultural vehicles and machines,and the placement of the present invention's FTG system cast into thecooling system and radiator at the time of manufacturing, or a pipe ortube inserted into or retrofitted to the piece, and the system'ssupporting devices.

FIG. 6 represents a manual transmission, such as those found inautomotive, industrial, and agricultural vehicles and machines, and thepresent invention's FTG system cast into the housing at the time ofmanufacturing, or a pipe or tube inserted into or retrofitted to thepiece to facilitate fluids flowing into and out of the transmissionwithout spillage, and the system's supporting devices.

FIG. 7 represents a gear box housing, such as those found in automotive,industrial, and agricultural vehicles and machines and the presentinvention's FTG system cast into the housing at the time ofmanufacturing, or a pipe or tube inserted into or retrofitted to thepiece to facilitate fluids flowing into and out of the housing withoutspillage, and the system's supporting devices.

FIG. 8 represents a steel line that is used in large industrial andagricultural equipment hydraulic systems as part of the fluid transportsystem, and a quick-coupling device for connecting to a fluid removalmachine.

FIG. 9 represents a fuel or oil filter with a universal quick-connectcoupling device connected to the bottom of the filter at the time ofmanufacturing.

FIG. 10 represents a filter housing used in equipment and otheroperating mechanisms, and the present invention's fluid transport pipeor tube inserted into the filter housing at the time of manufacturing,and its supporting devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system and method for improving thecurrent system for removing lubricants and other fluids from internaloperating parts in vehicles, machines, and other operating components,which include passenger vehicles, industrial equipment and machines,boats, ships, airplanes, tractors, and the like. The features andadvantages of the present invention will become more apparent to oneskilled in the art from the detailed description set forth below whentaken in conjunction with the figures.

In an embodiment, it is possible for oils and other lubricants, as wellas other liquids, to be removed from holding containers—such asreservoirs, oil pans, and the like—without polluting and otherwisecontaminating spillage occurring at the various stages of the processes.

Removing old and adding fresh lubricants and other fluids, such ashydraulic, engine, and gear oils, fuels, and antifreeze, to reservoirs,filters, and other components in mobile and stationery equipment, pose athreat to the environment in two specific ways. First, these fluids arehazardous materials that pollute the environment when allowed to spillonto the ground and into gutters, and work their way into the watertables during the process of exchanging them. Second, because of thecurrent method used by most of those skilled in the art of removing andadding these petroleum or synthetic-based fluids and lubricants—namelythrough a drain plug that depends on gravity to drain thefluids—spillage is a common-place occurrence in the private, industrial,and agricultural sectors. That is, when a person drains an oilpan/reservoir, removes an oil filter, oil pan, line, or hose containingthese fluids and lubricants, there is not a good way for evencertified-mechanics to do so without allowing at least some of theliquid to spill onto the ground, or onto the undercarriages of thevehicles, machines, or equipment where it will later drip onto theground and pollute.

The current-day drain plug is typically placed underneath or on the sideof the engine, differential, transmission, gear boxes, hydrauliccylinders, and other reservoirs. Once the technician locates and opensthe drain plug, the gravitational pull begins emptying the fluids into areceiving receptacle placed, ideally, under the machine part to catchthe fluid, such as a pan or a jug. Despite best efforts to keep thefluids from spilling onto the ground, that is invariably the outcome,because of a receptacle that is often too small to hold all of thedraining fluids, the wind blowing the fluid away from the receptacle, orone that is improperly placed, missing the drain plug flow entirely.Both situations lead to overflow and spillage of the contaminants.

In-depth research of the referenced patents demonstrates that methodsexist that help minimize the drawbacks of changing these fluids;however, to date, most have proven totally ineffective, because ofinherent limitations. The present invention eliminates the deficienciesof these predecessors.

The present invention is now described in more detail in terms of theabove premises. This is for convenience only and is not intended tolimit the application of the present invention. In fact, after readingthe following description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the arthow to implement the following invention in alternative embodiments. Theterms “oil,” “lubricants,” “fuels,” “coolants,” fluids,” and “liquids,”and the plural form of these terms may be used interchangeablythroughout herein to refer to those who would access, use, and/orbenefit from the elements that the present invention provides forexchanging oil and other lubricants and fluids.

While drawings are included to show the use of the present invention ina variety of components, for simplicity's sake, only the engine block(FIG. 1) is used for demonstration and explanation purposes in thisdescription.

An oil transport galley, pipe, or tube (1.2) system that is either castinto or mounted in the engine block (1.6) and works in conjunction withan extension galley, pipe, or tube (1.7) located in the oil pan (1.1) atthe time of manufacturing to enable a removal of fluid from the bottomof (1.7) up through (1.2, 1.4, 1.3 and 1.5) for the purpose of safelydepositing the used fluid into an environmentally sound waste container.For engine blocks and/or oil pans already manufactured, either (1.2) or(1.7) can also be an external tube or pipe mounted at a later date. Theoil pan can also be manufactured to accept an external tube or pipe,which would allow (1.2) or (1.7) to be incorporated at a later date. Acoupling (1.4) connects to the top of (1.2) to allow an extension hose(1.3) to be placed in an easily accessible area for the technician'saccess for service. A universal quick-coupling (1.5) connects to a fluidextraction machine for the safe removal of the used fluid. There can bean O ring inserted between (1.7) and (1.2) to ensure sealing for suctionpurposes.

The method of this invention relies on changing the current process formanufacturing transmissions, differentials, gear boxes, internalcombustion engines, hydraulic cylinders, filters, and the otherreservoirs contained within or supporting the operational structure of adevice powered by an internal combustion engine, electric motor, or anyother power source. The primary manufacturing change required to achievean environmentally safe method for removing the fluids needed for theoperation of these mechanical parts is either a galley, pipe, or tubecast into the blocks, housings, or tanks at the time of manufacturing,and serving as a flow line or conduit for the fluids. If a pipe or tubeis used in place of the pre-cast galley, either of these devices can bemounted or installed after the point of manufacturing.

1. A spill-proof system and method for safely exchanging lubricants andother fluids in automotive, industrial, and agricultural engines,transmissions, gear boxes, differentials, hydraulic tanks, coolanttanks, fuel tanks, filters, and any other reservoirs that containcoolants, fuels, and/or lubricants, through the use of either apre-cast, internally encased, fluid transport galley (FTG) cast into areservoir at the time of manufacturing, or a pipe or tube that is eitherinserted into at the point of manufacturing, or retrofitted to themechanical components powered by or found in internal combustionengines.
 2. A system and method for using an internally encased fluidtransport galley (FTG) cast into a reservoir at the time ofmanufacturing, or a pipe or tube that has either been inserted into themechanical components identified in claim 1 at the point ofmanufacturing, or retrofitted to the mechanical components identified inclaim 1, protecting the environment from harmful, common-place spills oflubricants and other fluids that are necessary for the efficientoperation of mechanical components referenced in claim 1 that are foundin automobiles, industrial, agricultural, and/or other equipment poweredby internal combustion engines.
 3. An internally encased fluid transportgalley (FTG) system—cast into any of the mechanical reservoirsidentified in claim 1 at the point of manufacturing—or the insertion of,or retrofitting of, a fluid transport pipe or tube, for the purpose ofconducting spill-proof, environmentally safe removal and replacement offluids used in the reservoirs.